Issue 5, September 17, 2018 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

GRAND VALLEY

A L L E N D A L E & G R A N D R A P I DS , M I C H I G A N ST U D E N T- R U N P U B L I C A T I O N S // P R I N T · O N L I N E · M O B I L E // L A N T H O R N . C O M

M O N D A Y, S E P T E M B E R 1 7 // VO L . 5 3 N O. 5

SPOTLIGHT

Pew Campus’ annual DeVos Medical Colloquy to focus on healthcare access BY RACHEL MATUSZEWSKI RMATUSZEWSKI@LANTHORN.COM

GROWTH: Each year, Grand Valley State University welcomes its newest class with a group photo spelling out the university’s letters. The current GVSU freshman class had the second-largest amount of students enrolled and the university also saw its highest number of graduates ever this past April. COURTESY | GVSU

GVSU sees increase in enrollment, second-highest in school history BY JENNY ADKINS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

For the 2018-2019 school year, Grand Valley State University welcomed in approximately at least 4,000 first-year students for the seventh time. This is one of its largest first-year classes, with it being second in Grand Valley history. In Michigan, this is recognized as one of the highest freshman enrollment rates. According to Philip Batty from the Office of Institutional Analysis, the last time Grand Valley saw record-breaking numbers was in 2016, welcoming a class of 4,380 students. This year, GVSU’s total enrollment is 24,677 students, with a first-year class of 4,369 students. While Michigan is seeing a decline in high school graduates, President of Grand Valley Thomas Haas notes that this freshman class provides a four percent increase from the previous academic year.

“Considering the demographic challenges being in a downward trend, to have an increase of over four percent in the freshman class is something we are truly proud of,” Haas said. “What I think GV is offering is relevant programs. We are focused on a student-centered model and people are choosing us because they can see them succeeding within a program here; I believe we’ve created a good choice for very talented students.” In addition, numbers show an increase in students of color and diversity. This year, there was a six percent increase in students of color, rising from 678 students to 719. With that, the total percentage of racial and ethnic minorities ticked up from 17.3 percent to 17.4 percent. Along with the spike in new students, Haas noticed that adult learners are now coming to Grand Valley to earn their undergraduate degree. “Having an array of programs

helps succeed in professional programs, and it’s important to the students who are choosing us,” Haas said. “We have something very significant which is in the Liberal Arts School. Students develop skills, critical thinking, communication, appreciation of inclusion and diversity; that is a factor that distinguishes us. I am really happy with those types of programs that focus on student success but provide more rigor inside and outside the classroom.” Furthermore, among a wide variety of classes, Grand Valley provides a Career Services Fair to turn learning into opportunities. “We are sold out for the career services program this year. We have 235 employers that we are providing students,” Haas said. “It’s never happened this early. We have such an interest in employers and they are looking at us to provide them the talent that they need.” Faculty and staff play a key

What I think GV is offering is relevant programs. We are focused on a student-centered model and people are choosing us because they can see them succeeding within a program here; I beieve we’ve created a good choice for very talented students.”

Thomas J. Haas GVSU President

Grand Valley State University’s annual DeVos Medical Colloquy will speak about health care access on Monday, Sept. 17 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Eberhard Center located on the GVSU downtown campus. The Colloquy began in March 2005, when the DeVos’ created a forum where medical and ethical significance could be discussed with a speaker and the addition of the public. “The DeVos Medical Ethics Planning Committee identifies relevant ethical issues in health care and selects our topics based on indepth review of existing literature and professional recommendations.” said Vice Provost for Health Dr. Jean Nagelkerk. “Once a topic is selected, the committee identifies and invites top experts in the country to speak on the topic.” This year, Larry S. Temkin and Thomas R. Reid will be speaking on “The Ethics of Access to Health Care”, chosen by the DeVos Medical Ethics Planning Committee. Reid is an author, lecturer and journalist for the Washington Post. His writing’s theme has covered health care systems in the United States and abroad. Temkin, a professor of philosophy at Rutgers University, will discuss his opinions on quality of healthcare. “Access to health care is important to each of us, as we will all need healthcare at some point in our lives.” Nagelkerk said. “The committee is interested in hearing the speakers’ perspectives on health care access, cost and quality.”

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DINING

Sliced off

GVSU becomes one of the many universities to end relationship with controversial pizza franchise BY DEVIN DELY DDELY@LANTHORN.COM

CHOPPED: Grand Valley previously housed two different locations for Papa John’s on the Allendale campus in both The Connection and Fuel. Recent scandal from the Papa John’s CEO resulted in GV removing the locations. GVL | ANDREW NYHOF

In June of 2018, Papa John’s Pizza CEO and founder John Schnatter came under fire for using a racial slur during a conference call. After the call was made public, the story was picked up by multiple media outlets and resulted in Schnatter’s resignation as CEO. Though Schnatter is no longer the face of the company, they are still dealing with the fallout as businesses and organizations continue to cut ties with the nationwide pizza chain, the latest of which is Grand Valley State University. Around the beginning of the school year in August, the Papa John’s location in the Commons on GVSU’s Allendale campus was replaced by Oath Pizza. According to GVSU Vice President of Finance Greg Sanial, the location in the Connection is also on its way out. Although the timing of this change has much to do with the comments Schnatter made in June, Sanial says the university has been considering ending their business relationship with the company for quite some time. “We had started internal discussions about replacing Papa John’s in the spring,” Sanial said.

“Sales have been declining, and the brand has not evolved as you’d expect it to do in that pizza market. We had sort of targeted the 2020 time frame for that change, but when the founder made those inappropriate comments on that conference call, we accelerated that process; those comments just don’t agree with the core principles here at Grand Valley State.” Although the Papa John’s in Fuel was replaced immediately, replacing the franchise in the Connection is not as easy. Sanial says this is due to a difference in the types of franchises at each location; the location in the Commons was an institutional franchise with a limited menu while the full franchise in the Connection has a full menu as well as delivery services and territorial rights. “With the one that was in Fuel, it was very easy,” Sanial said. “It’s a much smaller operation, so it was a very easy change to make to the Oath Pizza that we have now. The existing territorial franchise has a full menu, so there’s more equipment, more training that’s involved; there’s also a longer notification process when we want

Readers are Leaders C a m p u s l e a d e r s re a d t h e L a n t h o rn a n d v i s i t l a n t h o rn . c o m t o l e a d t h e w ay

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SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A2 | NEWS

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CONSTITUTION DAY EVENT

Grand Valley State University’s Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies will host Dean of Yale Law School, Heather Gerken, on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. in the Loosemore Auditorium on the downtown campus. Gerken is considered a foremost expert on constitutional and election law and her scholarship and work have been featured in The Atlantic, the Boston Globe, NPR and Time. Gerken will be discussing federalism in the 21st century and will share her thoughts on achieving a common ground in the polarized political climate of 2018. This event is free and open to the public. An RSVP is requested of attendees at gvsu.edu/hc/events.

role in a student success. President Haas enjoys reflecting back on freshman orientation and how this is the first step Grand Valley takes toward providing the best academic opportunities.

“We had faculty, staff and students in orientation to make sure students had answers to their questions and made the right choices. That attention to that individual to ensure they have the best advising, the best array of programming, core curricular activities - all of that fits into a great colle-

giate experience for undergraduates,” Haas said. Grand Valley State University has been chosen by “Best Value” and “Best Public Regional University” by U.S. News and World Report. More than that, Princeton Review named Grand Valley among the “Best in the Midwest,” and for the

past two decades, Grand Valley has been named one of “America’s 100 Best College Buys” by Institutional Research and Evaluation. “I wanted to touch on that. I am very proud that we continue to hold that title,” Haas said. “We continue to be a good value for the dollar.”

CONVERSATIONS OF COLOR

The Office of Multicultural Affairs is hosting several Conversations of Color to have an open and honest dialogue about race, popular culture, identity and more. The next event will be Wednesday, Sept. 19 from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Office of Multicultural Affairs in Kirkhof Center. There will be a Conversation of Color event each month scheduled for the rest of fall semester. These discussions are aimed to provide context and clarity to current world issues and assist students in understanding how identity affects both individuals and a campus community. Experts facilitate the discussion with ground rules to create a space for inclusivity. Email oma@ gvsu.edu or visit the Office of Multicultural Affairs for more information.

FAMILY WEEKEND AT GVSU

Several events are scheduled for GVSU’s annual family weekend. The first of these events is the Family Weekend 5K that will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22 at the Cook-Carillon Tower on GVSU’s Allendale Campus. The course will show off the beauty of Grand Valley’s campus and will have refreshments, music and giveaways post race. Professional times will be taken with immediate results provided by PrimeNRG and race winners will receive medals. There will also be a Grand Valley Picnic held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday inside the Fieldhouse Arena. Special appearances will be made by Louie the Laker, the GV cheer team, the Laker Marching Band and President Haas. Tickets for adults and students are $13 while children under three are free. A catered meal is included for attendees. Contact campus recreation at rec@gvsu.edu or visit gvsu.edu/familyweekend for the full schedule of events.

BLOOD DRIVE

The Michigan Blood drive van will return to campus Tuesday, Sept. 18 and Wednesday Sept. 19 to take blood donations from students, staff and faculty. The van will be parked outside Kleiner Commons on Tuesday and outside the Kirkhof Center on Wednesday. The vans will be holding donations from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will be returning for two days each month of fall semester.

10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE GLENN A. NIEMEYER LEARNING AND LIVING CENTER The Niemeyer Learning and Living Center was constructed 10 years ago as an environment to motivate students to excel. A reflection will be held to honor the anniversary and hear the experiences of the students, faculty, and staff who have had the opportunity to live and work in the building. Remarks will begin at 4 p.m. in the Honors College followed by refreshments and tours of the building. Several noteworthy attendees include former Provost Glenn Niemeyer, Provost Cimitile, some Honors alumni, as well as President and Mrs. Haas. Visit gvsu.edu/honor/10year for more information.

HEALTH: The Cook-DeVos Center for Health and Scieneces expands GVSU’s medical campus located on the downtown campus. The building offers students a variety of opportunities and resources thanks to its proximity to the Grand Rapids Medical Mile. COURTESY | GVSU

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Nursing, medical and health professional students are encouraged to attend and learn about the ethical implications of access to health care. The event is open to the public and additional audience will also consist of health care administrators, professionals, community members and university faculty and staff. “The DeVos Medical

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Lan thorn EDITORIAL STAFF

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Editor-in-Chief BRADY MCATAMNEY

MAX GELDHOF

Associate Editor MCKENNA PEARISO

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Associate Editor LAUREEN HORAN News Editor JENNY ADKINS Sports Editor KELLEN VOSS Laker Life Editor AMY MCNEEL A&E Editor NICK MORAN Image Editor SHEILA BABBITT Layout Editor RACHEL SPRING

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to terminate the relationship. Aramark owns the franchise, and we work in a partnership with Aramark to operate the franchise.” Numerous universities have already ended their business relationships with the pizza chain, including the University of Louisville, whose football stadium bore the namesake of the company until the inci-

Ethics Colloquy brings national experts to our community to discuss and grapple with challenging ethical issues that healthcare workers may face in providing care to their patients.” Nagelkerk said. “We look forward to hearing the unique perspectives from our experts on the ethics of access to health care. We also look forward to the audience interaction and rich discussion on this important topic during the ques-

tion and answer session with our speakers.” Students who attend can expect to learn about access to health care, the potential ethical implications they may face and the implications for individuals they provide care for in their future careers. It’s important for students looking into a career in the medical field to understand these ethical issues before stepping into their first job. Nagelkerk says students will have an opportunity to

meet with speakers before the event for a brief preview of the presentations with a question and answer session. The student meet-and-greet will be from 5 to 5:30 p.m. in room 201 at the GVSU Eberhard Center. “Our speakers are engaging and knowledgeable about the topic area. They look forward to meeting with students during the meet-and greet-taking place prior to the Colloquy.” Nagelkerk said.

dent. University officials renamed it “Cardinal Stadium” less than a month after Schnatter’s comments were made known to the public. Removing a franchise is not as quick of a change. According to Sanial, the remaining Papa John’s location at Grand Valley is expected to close down at the end of the academic year in April and will be completely replaced by next fall, though he says it’s too early to tell exactly what kind of business will take

that space. “It’s completely up in the air, and that’s part of the process,” Sanial said. “We take feedback from students, we work with Aramark, we do a market survey; we take a portfolio approach to all of our dining options available on campus. We identify something that we think would fill a gap we currently have and something that we think the students would enjoy.” Corporate representatives from Papa John’s and their

former PR firm, Olson Engage, were asked numerous times to speak on the issue but were unavailable. Campus Dining officials at GVSU could also not be reached for further comment. Grand Valley and Aramark Corporation are currently working to find a replacement option for Papa John’s before it closes in April. Until then, they will remain open at their regular hours.

ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager IAN BORTHWICK Account Executive RACHEL MOORE BUSINESS STAFF Business Manager ALEXIS LAMB Asst. Business Manager RACHEL RUTGERS

At the Lanthorn, we strive to bring you the most accurate news possible. If we make a mistake, we want to make it right. If you find any errors in fact in the Lanthorn, let us know by calling 616-331-2464 or by emailing editorial@lanthorn.com. The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published weekly by Grand Valley State University students 31 times a year. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the GVSU community. For additional copies, at $1 each, please contact our business offices.

The Lanthorn is published on recycled paper and is printed with soy bean ink. This means that our newspaper is entirely compostable. Help us do our part to be kind to the environment by recycling or composting this newspaper after you enjoy reading it. POSTMASTER: Please send form 3579 to: Grand Valley Lanthorn 0051 Kirkhof Center Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI 49401

REMEMBERANCE: Grand Valley State University students and staff members displayed 2,977 flags on the lawn next to Zumberge Pond in honor of those who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 attacks. Flags were also displayed in the courtyard of the DeVos building located on the downtown campus. The flags were planted by anonymous GVSU volunteers on the morning on Sept. 11, 2018. It has been 17 years since the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York City fell, along with an attack on The Pentagon in Washington D.C. and a heroic diversion from plane passengers who retook control from attackers planning another crash somewhere in the country. The United States of America still remembers those impacted by this tragic day. LAUREEN HORAN GVL

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

NEWS | A3

LGBT+

GVSU celebrates diversity and inclusion at QueeraPOOLoza

CANNONBALL: Grand Valley State University’s Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center hosts the QueeraPOOLoza pool party event to give students a safe and welcoming enviornment to enjoy and relax. They partnered with the GVSU Department of Campus Recreation to put on the second annual party that promotes equality and inclusion for people of all genders and sexual orientations. GVL | ANDREW NYHOF BY ALEXANDRA LOYD NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

On Saturday, Sept. 15, the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center collaborated with the GVSU Department of Campus Recreation to put on the second QueeraPOOLoza party –a free event open to all Grand Valley students, staff, and faculty and the general public. “Grand Valley’s QueeraPOOLoza parties are fun and cele-

bratory events intended to create a fun and affirming space for members of the LGBTQIA+ community to enjoy our wonderful pool in the Fieldhouse,” said Associate Director of the LGBT Resource Center Marla Wick. “Participants can swim, play water games and dive, and light snacks are provided.” Grand Valley stands firmly with their institutional commitment to inclusion and equity. Specifically, the Department of Campus Recreation’s

mission is to enhance and engage the GVSU community by providing inclusive and diverse recreational opportunities that inspire participation, promote health and wellbeing and encourage student development and success. “QueeraPOOLoza is an event that withholds all of the values of GVSU’s mission to provide a variety of opportunities for students,” said Director of Campus Recreation Kate Harmon.

“We view events like QueeraPOOLoza as advancing our shared goal of making GVSU’s campus a safe, celebratory, and affirming place for people of all genders and sexual orientations,” Wick said. In the future, the Department of Campus Recreation and the LGBT Resource Center will continue to imagine new ways to welcome LGBTQIA+ and allied students into recreational programs, services, and

facilities. “All students should have the opportunity to get involved, be active, and live healthy,” Harmon said. Both QueeraPOOLoza events have had encouraging turnouts and success. Students as well as members of the local community expressed tons of excitement towards the event. “What better way to celebrate diversity than with free food, music, and a pool?” one student said. “I met people at the summer

event that I can relate to that I now call my friends.” Grand Valley’s LGBT Resource Center works hard with their partners in Department of Campus Recreation to host fun, diverse and inclusive events for all. GVSU will continue to host events similar to QueeraPOOLoza, where diversity meets physical activity and living active, healthy lifestyles. It’s possible that Grand Valley will host another QueeraPOOLoza event in the future.

DOWNTOWN

GR College Week events aim to help students develop sense of community BY LAUREN HORAN ASSOCIATE1@LANTHORN.COM

During the week of Sept. 10 to 16, Grand Rapids hosted the third annual GR College Week, an event aimed toward helping students from all colleges in the area connect with one another, discover job opportunities and become more familiar with the Grand Rapids area. Students from GVSU, WMU, Aquinas, Calvin, Cornerstone, Kuyper and other institutions attended several events aimed at helping students step outside of their comfort zone, establish connections and make new friends. “This was actually Mayor Bliss’ idea,” said Rachel Bartels, Project Manager of Hello

West Michigan. “[Bliss] said we have so many colleges here, we need to help [the students] get to know the city.” GR College Week is a collaborative between all the area colleges, the city of Grand Rapids, the Mayor’s office and several nonprofits. This includes Hello West Michigan, an agency that helps Grand Rapids residents find or change jobs. Hello West Michigan hosted the GR Connect event, which Bartels describes as a job fair with a laid back atmosphere. “We want to make sure students are aware of all the opportunities available with potential employers,” Bartels said. “It’s a little more informal than the big campus networking events, but that

gives the employers here an opportunity to connect with students on a one-on-one level. We have 17 employers here today looking for entry-level talent.” Dozens of students from community colleges met at Kendall College of Art and Design Friday afternoon to chat with employers in various fields. “This event isn’t for any one major,” Bartels said. “These are all different companies looking to help students start their career and hire them into entrylevel positions in everything from healthcare, IT, engineering, human resources, finance, production, manufacturing and more.” Though GR College week is still a fairly new

event, it’s expanded more each year. Bartels explained that the discounts at local businesses have the potential to create a positive economic impact and the various events help students learn to appreciate what’s available to them here. “[Grand Rapids] is an amazing place for young people, we have a lot of the same amenities as a big city like Chicago, but you’d pay two or three times as much to live in and do things in Chicago that you would here,” Bartels said. While events such as GR Connect and Wednesday night’s mixer at the New Holland Brewery saw a great turn out, some of the other College Week events didn’t have quite as

many attendees. The event “GR Respect: Being a Citizen of Grand Rapids” was designed to introduce college students to the services available to them from area nonprofits and various City of Grand Rapids departments. However, the event failed to generate an audience. “We had exactly zero student attendees,” said Nathanael Karnes, Career Services and Enrollment Coordinator at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. “We discussed what we could do next year to increase attendance at this sort of event. We will probably use a different location next year, either a park, a brewery or a space on an undergraduate campus. We also dis-

cussed merging this event with GR Connect.” Several city-oriented entities were going to give out information on volunteer opportunities for students. “We also had an immigration attorney and an attorney that practices landlord/tenant law and criminal defense that were going to talk to students about immigration issues, tenant rights, and Constitutional rights,” Karnes said. Though no students were able to participate in this particular event, it’s not too late to get involved with volunteer opportunities in the Grand Rapids area or get help from any downtown agency if there are questions or concerns about living in the area.

C OL L E G E OF C OM M U N I T Y A N D P U BL IC S E RV IC E

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

POLICE ACADEMY

HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT

PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT ADMINISTRATION

LEGAL STUDIES

SOCIAL WORK

Discover the rewarding majors in GVSU’s College of Community and Public Service. RESOURCES: Companies gather together at the GR Connect College Week event at the Kendall College of Art and Design to show students the many opportunites offered dowtown. GVL | KELLEN VOSS

A4 | OPINION EDITORIAL

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

By Xavier Golden

High enrollment rates both a blessing and a curse

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n 2016, Grand Valley State University saw record-breaking enrollment rates, and the university has continued to see large groups of incoming students with each passing school year. Approximately 4,380 students were welcomed to Grand Valley in fall 2016, with the enrollment for the 2018-2019 year falling a few hundred short at about 4,000. Grand Valley has managed to maintain one of Michigan’s highest freshman enrollment rates with GVSU’s current total enrollment standing at 24,677 students. This continued growth has also seen an increase in diversity at the university. This year student enrollment has increased six percent in number of students of color. Grand Valley President Haas is hopeful for the increase in enrollment rates to continue to translate to higher graduation rates. “I’m really proud of the fact that we had a record number of graduates last year. 5,700 in the undergraduate and graduate programs,” Haas said. The steady growth of Grand Valley enrollment is proof that the university’s programs and resources are appealing to more and more high school graduates. The enrollment rates at Grand Valley have rapidly catapulted the university to becoming one of the largest in the state of Michigan. Although high enrollment rates do demonstrate how Grand Valley’s dedication toward student development has paid off, the steady increase in students may be stretching campus amenities thin. Perhaps the Grand Valley population has begun to outgrow its facilities as more students fill the classrooms, housing and buses across both campuses. Grand Valley’s ongoing construction projects have managed to create more classroom spaces and

broadened the university’s campuses. However, many of these new facilities did not include any new parking parameters for students, resulting in many students having to take public transportation rather than driving themselves. Many students have difficulty getting to classes in the CookDeVos Health and Science Center and the new Raleigh J. Finkelstein hall, both located on GVSU’s extended downtown campus. The lack of parking on Grand Rapids ‘Medical Mile’ has forced students to have to bus from GVSU’s Pew campus, which has made bus trips more crowded and lengthy. Class sizes have had to increase to accommodate the number of students attending GVSU courses. This can often mean that classes could double in size, with some students still not being able to enroll in the classes they need. Classroom sizes can also begin to feel smaller as more students fill the seats, resulting in a more hectic learning environment. While the university has developed several more buildings on campus, many have been dedicated to health sciences, leaving many programs to the same small facilities they have operated out of for years. Grand Valley’s student population will most likely keep growing due to the university’s commitment to student education. This will continue to diversify Grand Valley while also changing the community with each new year of students. As the university grows with each passing school year, campus amenities will begin to become more obsolete as the student body outweighs the resources it has. Moving forward, dedicating efforts to increasing facilities, parking, transportation and other campus resources to ensure students are thriving in their time at the university will be vial.

editorial@lanthorn.com

Who’s profiting from America’s opioid crisis?

BY YSABELA GOLDEN SOPHOMORE UNDECLARED EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

At this point it’s become pretty clear to everyone in the United States that our opioid crisis is less the accidental consequence of pharmaceutical advancement and more the inevitable result of how profitable willful ignorance can be for drug companies. Even Trump, whose general policy seems to be hiring the private sector to regulate themselves, threatened to sue companies that manufacture opioids over the “substantial costs and significant interest” the federal government has in the epidemic. If he ends up going through with the lawsuit (though no update has come on that front since midAugust), he won’t be the first:

Editor-In-Chief Associate editor Associate editor News editor Sports editor Laker Life editor A&E editor

BY KENDALL POLIDORI SOPHOMORE MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM MAJOR

WHAT IS A LANTHORN?

EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

Lant • horn, n. [Old English]

After attending my fair share of music festivals in the past two years, I’ve come to bask in their glory. I’m usually very cheap with my own money, but for some reason when it comes to concerts or music festivals, I go all out. Music festivals in the U.S. have become a sort of monopoly, bringing in great

A lanthorn is a lantern that was used in mid-to-late 16th-century Europe. It was constructed of leather and a single lens made from a thin

piece of ox or steer horn. It was used for illumination and as a beacon. The Grand Valley Lanthorn slogan is “Give light, and the people will find their own way.”

GVL OPINION POLICY The goal of the Grand Valley Lanthorn’s opinion page is to act as a forum for public discussion, comment and criticism in the Grand Valley State University community. Student and columnist opinions published here do not necessarily reflect those of the paper as an entity. The Lanthorn strives to be a safe vehicle for community discussion. With this in mind, the Lanthorn will not publish or entertain any forms of hate speech, but neither will it discriminate against any other views, opinions or beliefs. The content, information and views expressed are not approved by—nor do they necessarily represent those of—the university or its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty or staff.

Letters to the editor should include the author’s full name, relevant title and a headshot, along with a valid email address and phone number for confirming the identity of the author. Letters should be approximately 500-650 words in length, and they are not edited by the Lanthorn staff except to fix technical errors or to clarify. Reader submissions on the opinion page appear as space permits. To make a submission, email editorial@lanthorn.com or drop your submission off in person at:

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gotten a significant amount of media attention for their “advertising” since earlier this year when Senator Claire McCaskill released a report naming them as the leading offender in an arrangement between opioid manufacturers and pain advocacy groups in which millions were exchanged in order to “create the necessary conditions for the U.S. opioids epidemic.” Overwhelmed by impending litigation (and by three of their executives pleading guilty in federal court to making false claims about their product being “less addictive, less subject to abuse and less likely to cause withdrawal symptoms than other pain medications”), Purdue promised to end its aggressive promotion of their opioid pain reliever OxyContin to doctors. After 22 years of little to no repercussions in the industry, such a consequence is a welcome change of pace. Even more unusually, it’s not just Purdue employees who are facing the blowback for their dangerous business practices its the owners themselves. None of the Sacklers have been personally taken to court for the misdeeds of their company, but that doesn’t mean prosecutors, or the public, aren’t interested. Even

more attention has been on the family since board member and former Purdue President Richard Sackler patented a new drug earlier this year —a mild opioid intended to ease withdrawal symptoms - making many who have been hurt by the opioid crisis outraged at the idea that the family that profited so much from the problem they helped create would also try to profit off of a solution. Previous to the media buzz surrounding their role in the opioid crisis, the family had been best known for their philanthropy. The Sacklers have funded museums, art galleries, colleges —they even have an institute of science at Yale University. But as OxyContin has undergone more and more scrutinization, the public has started to realize the cost behind the Sackler family’s philanthropic ventures. Considering the epidemic of addiction and overdoses that paid for their overseas galleries, it does seem right for the Sacklers (and the rest of their pharmaceutical peers) to be part of the solution. But not for a paycheck—if these billionaire philanthropists really want to help end the opioid crisis, they should be the ones footing the bill.

Music festivals: an economic and social boom in the U.S.

GV L EDI TORI AL B OA R D BRADY MCATAMNEY MCKENNA PEARISO LAUREEN HORAN JENNY ADKINS KELLEN VOSS AMY MCNEEL NICK MORAN

states, municipalities and even labor unions have all jumped on the litigation bandwagon in an attempt to hit Big Pharma where they might actually notice—their wallets. There’s a long history to these lawsuits, going all the way back to the 90’s when healthcare providers began prescribing their patients opioid pain relievers at much higher rates after pharmaceutical companies assured the medical community and fearful patients that their products wouldn’t become addictive. The result was widespread over-prescription and misuse of these painkillers before it became clear that yes, they were very addictive, and no, doctors should not keep prescribing them at the rate drug manufacturers were encouraging them to. Still, even as recently as 2015, a Harvard study found that hundreds of U.S. doctors had been paid six-figure sums by opioid manufacturers for “speaking, consulting, and other services” - with physicians who prescribed particularly large amounts of the drugs being the most likely to get paid. One company, Purdue Pharma (owned by Raymond Sackler and family) has

revenues for cities and promoting the life and culture of the city as well. Not only that, but they also bring together large groups of people to celebrate life and culture. Music festivals, especially ones with multiple days such as Lollapalooza or Coachella, make a great dent in a person’s wallet. Not only are the tickets expensive, but the cost for food, drinks and merchandise really take a toll on people. Lollapalooza, for example, extended its weekend-long event to four days, bringing in more people and more money. As expensive as it is, I am more than happy to throw my money toward these kinds of events, and apparently so are many other people. I recently read an article from WTTW written by Paris Schutz titled “Lollapalooza 2017: What is the

City of Chicago Getting?” and it states that in 2016, Lollapalooza brought in almost 6 million dollars for the city of Chicago, compared to 2012, which brought in 2.5 million dollars. In more recent years, music festivals are getting bigger and drawing in a lot of people, which is such a great profit and promotion for the city that holds the event. In the same article written by Schutz, it also states, “It calls for the parks to receive 13.75 percent of the admissions revenue this year, plus five percent of all sponsorship revenue in excess of $3.25 million, and five percent of all food and beverage revenue in excess of $3 million.” So, not only is the festival as a whole making major revenues, but so are the people that are putting in the work to make it pos-

sible. And who wouldn’t want to support these local vendors? Although pricey, the food is absolutely amazing and always worth it. (Especially in Chicago, they have Lou Malnati’s!). As for the parks or locations that these are being held at, they do receive much of the downfalls that come with these events. Looking at Lollapalooza again, their festival is held in Chicago’s Grant Park, which is almost unrecognizable after four days of the festival. The accumulation of trash and damage to the park is excessive, which is almost expected after bringing that many different people together for four long days of music and eating. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

VALLEY VOTE

THIS ISSUE’S QUESTION

QUOTE

Do you think GVSU’s bus transportation system is efficient?

“What food place would you like to see replace the Papa Johns in the Connection?”

“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off of our souls”

Yes No Unsure

LOG ON & VOTE www.lanthorn.com

47% 16% 37%

QUESTION OF THE ISSUE

-PABLO PICASSO www.lanthorn.com

“WHAT FOOD PLACE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE REPLACE THE PAPA JOHNS IN THE CONNECTION?”

DELANEY TAYLOR

WREN MILLER

“Jimmy Johns.”

“Maybe something with ice cream.”

YEAR: Freshman MAJOR: Psychology HOMETOWN: Farmington, Michigan

YEAR: Sophomore MAJOR: Illustration HOMETOWN: Lansing, Michigan

GAVIN HARDEN

NOAH GRIMES

“Probably another pizza place like Cottage Inn”

“Wendy’s.”

YEAR: Senior MAJOR: Athletic Training HOMETOWN: Wixom, Michigan

YEAR: Freshman MAJOR: Undecided HOMETOWN: Warren, Michigan

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

NEWS | A5

MECHANICS

GVSU to host first tech challenge

COMPETITION: For Inspriation and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Tech Challenge gave local students the opportunity to work with the mechanics and technology necessary for its first annual robotics competition. The tech challenge was held on Grand Valley State University’s downtown campus using several facilities to unveil this years competition rules and guidelines. GVL | JAMES KILBORN BY JAMES KILBORN JKILBORN@LANTHORN.COM

On Saturday, Sept. 8, Grand Valley State University hosted a number of inaugural matches of the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Tech Challenge season. Students from across west Michigan— such as the Red Storm Robotics team from East Kentwood High School and the TriSonics Robotics team from Allendale High School—gathered on the Pew Campus in Grand Rapids to compete in a robotics competition where teams construct, program and control a robot of their design and test it against other groups’ creation.

The competition follows a themed challenge called “Rover Ruckus” where each team’s robot is placed in an arena and must collect gold and silver “minerals” and place them in a designated zone. Teams who collect the most minerals receive the most points. There are a variety of other ways to gain additional points, such as parking the robot in an elevated “crater”. The match creates a competitive and challenging environment to test each team’s robot. Sara Maas, Outreach Coordinator for the Padnos College of Engineering and Computing, said that the event mostly consisted of middle school to high school stu-

dents and presented a variety of roles and challenges for the members of each team. “There are four teams that compete in each match”, Maas said. “Two teams will be paired up in an alliance, and they will work together for that match. So, it’s really two teams versus two teams per match. Who may be on your alliance in one match may be your opponent in future matches. So, it’s helpful to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each robot/team so that you can win your matches. That’s where the scouts get involved. They watch all the different teams and robots to see how their own team will be able to work with them. The matches are based on points, so there will be a winning alliance

and a losing alliance.” More than just a fun event, the competition allows younger students to enhance their understanding of engineering, cultivating a passion that may guide many of them into STEM-oriented careers. Terry Stevens, a member within the GVSU Electrical Engineering Department, sees the FIRST Tech Challenge as not only a way to engage students interested in engineering, but also involving those who have interests in other fields as well. “FIRST is all about getting kids interested in STEM-career fields by engaging them with engineer mentors that show them how much fun STEM can be and how it leads to a very rewarding and profitable career,”

Stevens said. “Teams need to also do fundraising, public relations, scouting, social media, presentations, etc. so there are plenty of opportunities for students that choose not to engage with the robot building.” Nicholas Baine, another member of the GVSU Electrical Engineering Department, sees the event as a way to expose students to engineering, especially the FTC-division of the event, which involves competition between students in seventh and eighth grade. “For many, this is the only exposure that they have to engineering,” Baine said. “Engineering has a reputation of being a tough major in college; however, nearly all of those that compete in

FTC Robotics and pursue engineering complete their degrees. It really makes a difference and gives students a taste of design, which sets engineering apart from science and math.” These events help form important problem-solving and analytical skills in those who participate. With a new season just starting, teams will continue to compete until March, with the most successful teams moving on to the state and regional championships, vying for a spot in the world championships in April. Local communities are set to host two more competitions this season: one in December and another in March.

CAMPUS

Mary Idema Pew Library celebrates five years of innovative education BY SHILOH REYNOLDS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

“The lights are intimidating but the people are welcoming.” That is the personal motto of Grand Valley State University junior, Michael Gould, to describe the Atomic Object Technology Showcase at the Mary Idema Pew Library. Filled with collections of LED lights, 3D printers, computers and virtual reality sets, the technology showcase in the bottom level of the library provides students and staff members with access to innovative technology. This year, the showcase is celebrating its five-year anniversary and a celebratory open house was held on Friday, Sept. 14 in the atrium of the library. Eric Kunnen, the Associate Director of e-learning and Emerging Technologies at Grand Valley, said that he and the student assistants decided to throw the open house because, “We are proud of where we have been and where we

PROGRESS: Grand Valley State University’s Atomic Object Technology Showcase celebrated the five year anniversary of innovative education. Officals of the Mary Idema Pew Library have partnered with the Information Technology Department to continue to develop the showcase with further technological advances. GVL | DAN PACHECO

are going. We want to continue moving from a ‘come and see place’ to a ‘go and do’ place.” Kunnen began working at Grand Valley when the showcase was first getting underway. “I wanted to work at Grand

Valley because I was excited with all the innovations they had going on—I saw they had the new library and showcase... the showcase was completely empty when I came in,” Kunnen said. “When I first

started [working at Grand Valley], getting it off the ground was my first big task.” Initial funding for many of the machines and pieces of technology in the room came from the Atomic Object— a

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local business in Grand Rapids. Now, the showcase is seen as a partnership between the library and the Information Technology Department and the two units collaborate to maintain the space. According to Kunnen, over 62,000 visitors have walked through the showcase’s doors since it first opened in 2013. Several courses at Grand Valley often make trips during classroom time to explore the showcase as do charter schools and other universities. The showcase is largely run by student assistants. Senior Megan Thomas, who works as a 3D Printing Specialist, said, “I like how faculty tries to incorporate [technology and the showcase] into the classroom. Not many other colleges or universities have something like this, so it’s a unique approach.” The open house allowed guests to experience things such as virtual reality, 3D printing and augmented reality. Student assistants were present to bring various pieces of technology out of

the showcase room and into the atrium in order to interact with more people. For sophomore Dean Geschiere, this was his second time experiencing the technology showcase. He said he had previously come with his class to check out what the room had to offer, but wanted to return on his own during the open house. “I just love technology. I love watching people use the VR and augmented reality,” Geschiere said. Kunnen said he hopes that in the future, the showcase will continue to serve as a place where they can constantly work on discovering the answer to what they want the future of technology to look like in education. “Technology has impacted our culture in so many different ways, and there is so much potential with things like Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in the classroom,” Kunnen said. “We are just tapping into it now. I want to continue to work with students and faculty on pioneering the future.”

A6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ARTS AT A GLANCE GUEST ARTIST HOSTS DISCUSSION ON HER JOURNEY TOWARD CREATING ART Kimberly Walker, a retired active duty veteran turned artist, is visiting GVSU’s Eberhard Center on Thursday, Sept. 20 to discuss her newest creation: “Locked and Loaded.” Her work earned her a winning spot in ArtPrize’s Pitch Night Cincinnati and a $5,000 grant in May. Walker will present on both her artwork as well as her journey to becoming an artist. Following her presentation, speakers from Veterans Upward Bound and Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity will add their voices to the conversation. The speakers’ messages will converge on how creators can use education and art to change their lives. Those interested in attending can optionally RSVP at gvsu.edu/artgallery.

GV ANNOUNCES NEW GUEST AUTHORS, POETS WITH WRITING SERIES LINEUP GVSU will host a variety of different writers over six events during this year’s Writing Series. The series kicks off today and spans through April of next year. The Writing Series’ debut stars author Marian Crotty in two events today. Her first is a discussion about her creation of fiction at 1:30 p.m. in the Kirkhoff Center’s room 2270. The latter is a reading and book signing from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Mary Idema Pew Library’s Multipurpose Room. Future events include faculty readings and Q&A sessions on a monthly basis.

ARTPRIZE 10 USHERS IN DECADE OF PUBLIC EXHIBITS

ArtPrize 10, Grand Rapid’s largest public art competition, officially begins Wednesday. Sept. 19. Preceded by a week of installations, guests are invited to Wednesday’s opening ceremony at 7 p.m. at Rosa Parks Circle. ArtPrize’s opening also begins the first wave of public voting. Guests can use the ArtPrize’s app or website to cast their votes for their favorite pieces of art. The competition includes a $200,000 prize decided by the public’s vote alone. The competition spans from Wednesday to Oct. 7, with a host of different rounds of voting and public events in between. For more information, visit artprize.org or pick up an event guide at the visitor pavilion.

FAMILIES INVITED TO EXPLORE SHAKESPEARE, HAAS CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS Students and their families are encouraged to tour the Haas Center for Performing Arts and indulge in a variety of Shakespearean performances Saturday, Sept. 22 as part of GVSU’s Family Weekend. “Peek Behind the Curtain” will showcase the newly renovated building and several live acts. Scenes of “Bard to Go” and “The Tempest” will be featured, as well as a performance of “The Greenshow.” The tour will also consist of a delicate lunch with special guest William Shakespeare. Tickets are $12. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit gvsu.edu/familyweekend.

BASHFUL BRASS: Filling Grand Rapids with sound, the GVSU marching band and dance welcome in ArtPrize Nine. GVL | ARCHIVE

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

CONCERT

GV presents collaborative performance of French chamber music BY ARIE NIENHUIS ANIENHUIS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University is considered a haven for the fine arts — especially music — and consistently presents a wide variety of concerts and performances for the public to enjoy. The most recent of the university’s offerings was Sunday’s collaborative performance of French chamber music, featuring a number of musicians from other schools in the area. “Friends & French Chamber Music” was a performance featuring a variety of pieces from renowned French composers Darius Milhaud, Maurice Ravel and Ernest Chausson. Each piece involved a number of instruments and sections, with performers providing a varied performance for all concert-goers. One of these performers was GVSU’s Associate Professor of Piano Sookkyung Cho who said she enjoyed the opportunity to perform these classic works. “I think these are great pieces,” Cho said. “Ravel is the most famous, I suppose. It’s extremely fun to listen to, and very difficult. Chausson is not very well known, [however]

his piano writing is amazing. His chords are so lush and full...it’s great music.” One of the primary tenets of the performance was the extensive collaboration of musicians and professors from schools around the area. Performers included Hope College’s Mihai Craioveanu and Calvin College’s John Varineau, who also performs as the conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphony. “Alicia Eppinga is a principal cellist for the Grand Rapids Symphony, and she also teaches at Hope College, we’re actually doing this program at Hope and Calvin as well,” Cho said. The concert mainly featured a collection of French chamber music from many celebrated composers. Cho said that the preparation for these pieces differed greatly from usual piano performance. “You have to know your part very well before the rehearsal,” Cho said. “[The other performers and I] don’t get a lot of time together, so we have to listen to the recording a lot to know how the other part sounds. When we get together, you just have to listen to each other like crazy. You can’t just focus on your part.”

TALENTED TRIO: Taking a bow, Cho, Craioveanu and Verineau bask in the crowd’s applause after a concert. GVL | ANDREW NYHOF

Seeing classical music performed by a small group is very different than seeing an orchestra or a solo performance, and this concert was no exception. She considers seeing multiple performers on stage and how they interact is one of the most fascinating and engaging aspects of this type of performance. “In a solo performance, there is a direct connection

with the audience,” Cho said. “With chamber music, there is a bigger circle. Seeing the people on stage breathe together is a completely different universe.” Cho said that all students should look out for future performances of chamber music at GVSU, and those who attended considered it a very good introduction to the chamber music style.

DOWNTOWN

GVSU dance and marching band prepare for ArtPrize opening ceremony BY JACOB CRESWELL ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley’s very own marching band and dance department will be performing at the opening ceremonies for this year’s ArtPrize on Wednesday, Sept. 19. They will be performing two pieces: “Hernando’s Hideaway,” from the musical “The Pajama Game” and Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.” The groups will begin their performance at 6:30 p.m. at the Eberhard Center before marching over to Rosa Parks Circle at 7 p.m. to perform the rest of the opening ceremonies. In regards to the performance, Marching Band Director John Martin said GVSU has been actively involved with ArtPrize for the last eight years. He also explained that their performances follow a similar pattern each year. “President Haas directs the fight song, then plays a tune

or two and some cheers, and then we collaborate with the dance department for some tunes,” Martin said. “[That] gets people fired up.” Martin also said that GVSU’s involvement with ArtPrize started when the Director of Galleries and Collections Henry Matthews reached out to Martin from the very beginning of ArtPrize. Through the eight years that Grand Valley has performed at this event, Martin stated that the main difference between each year is how much bigger ArtPrize has gotten. “Now it’s [on] live television,” Martin said. “It’s good community feedback. People see us down there. It’s gotten bigger and bigger, with more people [seeing us, including] the governor. It’s an exposure event and a celebration for Art Prize.” The exposure generated by ArtPrize has led to the Grand

Valley’s music department getting more requests for performances. For this event, ArtPrize’s growth has also led to the opening ceremony performances growing along with it. Martin said GVSU’s involvement with the ceremony has gotten more involved each year. “[We] represent Grand Valley on a grand scale.” Martin said. “[ArtPrize] has grown from just the drum line to the full band, and now the dance department.” Martin also said the marching band and the dance department work very well together, citing trust between the two departments, as well as professionalism. Professor Hannah Seidel, who organizes the dance sections of the ArtPrize performance, works closely with Martin to help blend the dance and musical portions. “Seidel and I work to together to get the logistics down,” Martin said. “[The dance department] knows we’re ready,

and we know they’re ready.” The marching band and dance department will be collaborating on the piece from The Pajama Game. Martin said that the band already feels comfortable with “Respect,” but “Hernando’s Hideaway” will be a fresh collaboration that will make a later appearance in addition to ArtPrize. “We did ‘Respect’ in show one, so that’s already prepared,” Martin said. “’Herando’s Hideaway’ is in show two. The dance department will be part of show two on Sept. 26. [The Art Prize performance] is a good byproduct.” With ArtPrize inching closer every day, Martin said that he’s mainly proud of the students and their performance. He also noted the impact that these performances have to the band and the community. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

GUEST ARTIST

The Tesla Quartet joins faculty members on a musical journey through Italy BY MARY RACETTE ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

The Tesla Quartet will bring a taste of Italy to the Cook-DeWitt Center Monday, Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. as they perform Tchaikovsky’s “String Sextet in D Minor, Op. 70 ‘Souvenir de Florence,’” following their performance of Franz Joseph Haydn’s “Quartet in B minor, Op. 33, No. 1.” The program is part of the university’s 16th annual Fall Arts Celebration, which is free and open to the public. The Tesla String Quartet is comprised of violinists Ross Snyder and Michelle Lie, violist Edwin Kaplan and cellist Serafim Smigelskiy. Since its origin in 2008 at Julliard , the quartet has built up an international name and award winning reputation. The quartet carries out their mission of community outreach by performing at schools and retirement homes. “We like to let people who might not come to concerts have exposure to chamber music,” Smigelskiy said.

The group first performed at GVSU for the Arts at Noon Concert Series in 2016 and is now returning for the Fall Arts Celebration. “The Tesla Quartet is a very exciting group,” Duitman said, “Bringing them to campus shows that Grand Valley as a university sponsors wonderful international artists to perform for the entire community.” The “String Sextet in D Minor, Op. 70 ‘Souvenir de Florence” was chosen specifically by the quartet for its “variety of color.” Tchaikovsky has been praised for his “unique combination of instruments” creating a “rich and wonderful” piece. Tchaikovsky is more of a composer of symphonies rather than of quartets, Duitman said, which is why GVSU’s Affiliate Professor of Viola Paul Swantek and Associate Professor of Cello Pablo Mahave-Veglia will join the Tesla Quartet, forming a string sextet to perform ‘Souvenir de Florence.’ Swantek is currently a violist of the Grand Rapids Orchestra in addition to his career at the university.

Mahave-Veglia is an internationally known cellist who last year held a concerto tour of Chile. The New York based quartet is currently touring nationally, leaving little time to rehearse with the faculty members. Mahave-Veglia said this provides a unique opportunity for spectators to see how professional music collaboration works.

“I think that the performance is especially important because it is bringing guest artists to collaborate with local faculty,” Mahave-Veglia said. “It is (also) a very good example of how one works professionally in music” LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

SERIOUS STRINGS: The award-winning Tesla Quartet is set to perform two pieces on Monday night. COURTESY | MATTHEW MAKOWSKI

SPORTS | A7

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

QUICK HITS GVSU MEN’S TENNIS HAD SEVERAL STRONG PERFORMANCES AT HOPE INVITATIONAL

The Grand Valley State men’s tennis team saw several strong performances in both singles and doubles play at the Hope Invitational, picking up a handful of victories in the twoday tournament. Sebastian Lescoulie and D.J. Colantone teamed up to win the A Doubles bracket, beating teammates Jack Geissler and Nicholas Urban 8-6 in the final. Lescoulie and Geissler were also named co-champions of the A Singles bracket after winning their semifinal matches. Those weren’t the only two finals that Urban would compete, as he also won the B Singles bracket, dominating in the finals 6-2, 6-3. Lescoulie and Martin Martov also were able to secure wins in their own sections. In the C Singles, Muniez Infante, Eric Zwemer, Nicolas Welker and Ryan Rhoades were all named co-champions, since they all represented GVSU in the semifinals of the secton. Grand Valley State’s next tournament this fall will be the ITA Regional Championships hosted by Davenport. The tournament starts on Friday, Sept. 28 and will conclude on Sunday, Sept. 30.

GVSU PUNTER COLLIN CRIBLEY WINS STUDENT ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Grand Valley State’s Collin Cribley, the starting punter on the football team, earned the honor of winning GVSU Student Athlete of the week presented by Ruth Chris Steakhouse. Cribley has averaged 43.2 yards per punt racking up 821 total yards on just 19 punts, including a season-high 61-yard punt last week against Delta State. Hailing from Fruitport High School, Cribley is a prime example of a student athlete, as he’s been named Academic All-GLIAC the past three years, and is likely to earn the honor again in 2018. Cribley was able to earn his first varsity letter last season, as he averaged 38.6 yards per punt on 34 punts, with a long punt of 56 yards and averaging 42.8 yards per punt. He also managed to drop 11 punts inside the opponents 20-yard line and tallied six punts of 50 yards or more.

GVSU SOCCER BEATS NORTHWOOD 1-0, SETTLES FOR A DRAW AGAINST ASHLAND

The Grand Valley State women’s soccer team remained undefeated in two pivotal GLIAC match-ups as they beat Northwood 1-0 at home on Friday, Sept. 14, before traveling to Ashland, Ohio to tie Ashland 0-0. In the 67th minute of Friday’s match, Riko Sagara snuck through the Timberwolves’ defense and kicked the only goal of the contest into the left side of the net. Tara Lierman assisted on the goal. Sunday’s game was a defensive showcase, as neither team was able to find the back of the net. The Lakers got off 21 shots, including 10 on target. This was the Lakers’ first scoreless draw since Oct. 26, 2014. GVSU looks to improve upon their 5-0-1 record this week, as they have a home match-up with Indianapolis on Tuesday, Sept. 18 before traveling to Davenport on Sunday, Sept. 23. The games are at 7 p.m. and 12 p.m.

VARSITY SCHEDULE FOOTBALL Home vs Michigan Tech, Saturday, Sep. 22, 7 p.m VOLLEYBALL Friday, Sep. 21, 7 p.m., at Northern Michigan Saturday, Sep. 22, 2 p.m. at Michigan Tech

Big three FOOTBALL

GVSU football crushes NMU on the road

BROTHERHOOD: Grand Valley State wide receiver Nick Dodson high fives fellow wide receiver Austin Paritee as he exits the field in the 2018 home opener on Aug. 30 against the University of Indianapolis. Dodson and Paritee are the team’s two leading receivers in 2018 en route to a 3-0 record on the year. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT BY BRADY MCATAMNEY EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

T

he Grand Valley State football team has started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2016 after making the six-and-a-half hour bus ride to Marquette, Mich. where they beat the Northern Michigan Wildcats 47-17. The Lakers are now 3-0 and 1-0 in GLIAC play. Led by quarterback Bart Williams, GVSU’s offense nearly matched their scoring output from the first two games of the season combined. The senior completed 17 of 28 pass attempts for 280 yards and four touchdowns and, with the scores, Williams tied – and then passed – Cullen Finnerty for second place in GVSU football history in touchdown passes with 112. Wide receiver Nick Dodson caught eight passes for 129 yards

and two touchdowns after missing last week’s game against Delta State. Five other players hauled in completions for the Lakers, signifying a balanced air attack for GVSU. “I think the number one thing, we protected the quarterback and we ran the ball effectively,” head coach Matt Mitchell said. “I’ve got to give our offensive line and tight ends a lot of credit. Bart had a lot of clean pockets.” The line allowed zero sacks and paved the way for a combined 250 team rushing yards led by running backs Chawntez Moss (20 rushes for 130 yards), Aryuan Cain-Veasey (four for 53) and Jack Provencher (seven for 36 and one touchdown). Williams and quarterback Cole Kotopka each added rushing scores of their own. Defensively, the Lakers held NMU to only 217 yards of total offense, marking the second

time in three games that GVSU has held opponents to under 220 total yards. Additionally, they wrapped up Wildcat signalcallers for sacks twice and forced one turnover on a fumble. “We did a really good job of stopping the designed run,” Mitchell said. “(NMU running back) Jake Mayon had one run that was decent but I think we did a really good job of stopping him. We had several opportunities to stop (quarterback Latrell Giles) in the backfield but we couldn’t get the guy down. That extended some drives. You also factor in the second-and-24 where we got a defensive holding penalty on an incompletion, and that could have been third-and-24.” Despite the 31 point win and unscathed start to the season, the Lakers are still not content with their play and plan on getting even better. “One thing I’d say about all

three squads – offense, defense and special teams – I think there’s room for growth, room for improvement,” Mitchell said. “That’s what I think makes this so exciting too, it’s that we’ve had some stuff happen, had to burn some timeouts and there are times where we can be a better football team.” With their two longest road trips out of the way by week three, GVSU returns home on Saturday, Sept. 22 to play the Michigan Tech Huskies (2-1, 0-1 GLIAC) at 7 p.m. during the school’s annual Family Weekend. “I can’t even tell you how excited I am to get back home,” Mitchell said. “We put a lot of miles on buses and planes, we’ve had some injuries, some illnesses; we’ve been through stuff. There’s a lot of football left to be played but I’m proud of this group for being 3-0 and there’s a lot to be done to be even better.”

W. SOCCER

GVSU soccer senior Tara Lierman brings experience to young team BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Any team is only as good as its leaders, and Grand Valley State’s soccer team has always had good ones. They have led this program to incredible success in the past decade, and this year should be no different with midfielder Tara Lierman at the helm. Entering her senior season, Lierman has been assigned a new role with GVSU. Starting in a holding midfield position, Lierman is now seen as the first line of defense for the Lakers, where she is asked to win pivotal one-on-one matchups, rescue possessions and be the “quarterback” of the defense. Lierman had a breakout year in 2017, starting all 24 games at midfield and posting the third-most points in the GLIAC (34), while tying for third in goals (13) and fifth in assists (8). These numbers earned Lierman D2CCA first team All-American and All-Midwest region honors, as well as being named first team All-GLIAC. Since starting to play the sport in first grade, Lierman has always had a passion for soccer but didn’t realize she could play at a collegiate level until middle school. “It was around seventh or eighth grade, and my club coaches started talking to our team about it,” Lierman said. “my two coaches talked to me individually and said I have a really good chance at playing at the next level, so I started to pursue it.” Recruited by past head coach Dave Dilanni, Lierman found a home in Allendale because a coach advised her to choose a college for academics as well as athletics. “Throughout the recruiting process, one of my coaches kept telling me to ‘go somewhere where you would want to go to school, regardless of if you were playing soccer’,” Lierman said. “So if something like a career-ending injury were to happen, go somewhere where I would still want to be academically, so GV was at the top of my list for that.” From the grueling practices to the comical team dinners, Lierman has made lots of memories in her time at GVSU and she is fascinated by how successful yet fun each team has been. SEE SOCCER | A8

SHARING THE ROCK: Grand Valley State midfielder Tara Lierman passes the ball to a teammate during a game in 2017. Entering her senior season, Lierman steps into a leadership role for GV. GVL | ARCHIVE

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A8 | SPORTS W. GOLF

GVSU women’s golf team begins season with solid performance in Indy

PRECISION: Senior Mackenzie Blomberg keeps her eyes on the ball and prepares herself to drive it as far as she can. Blomberg earned All-GLIAC First Team honors in the 2017 season. GVL | ARCHIVE BY KADY VOLMERING SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State women’s golf team headed to Indianapolis University last week to begin their tournament season. A rain filled Sunday resulted in difficult playing conditions on Monday, Sept. 10 and Tuesday, Sept. 11. Despite the poor state of the greens, head coach Rebecca Mailloux was pleased with the team’s performance, as they placed fifth overall in the tournament. “I was happy with the scores,” said Mailloux. “We were only two shots out of third place, and given the quality of the field, if we would’ve finished third I would’ve been very pleased.” The team has been working together for the past year and half in learning good course management which Mailloux said was one of their strengths this past tournament. With-

SOCCER CONTINUED FROM A7

“My top memory was probably winning the national championship in 2015, that was an overall outstanding experience to be part of,” Lierman said. “Each year is a different experience, and it’s interesting seeing how each team handles situations. Each group has had a different path to success, and that’s been the coolest to see over the past four years.” Through years of physical training and hitting the books, Lierman has embraced the grind and improved drastically both on and off the field, thanks to the expert tutelage of Coach Hosler. “Jeff has always pushed me since the day I stepped on campus,” Lierman said. “He’s known me since I was eight, he knows how to push me mentally and physically. He’s always been there and has pushed me to limits that I didn’t think I could reach.” Because of the impact Ho-

out a full practice round, she felt they managed their way around the course well. “They superseded my expectations,” Mailloux said. “I try not to have too many expectations, but I was very pleased with the numbers we put up, especially from a few players that we have further down the lineup.” One of those players is sophomore Abbey Pierce, who had only been in the top five lineup once before. Pierce shot 10 over the first round, 5 over on the second and ended shooting even in the third round. “I improved a lot from the first to second, and then second to third rounds, so I thought that was good to see,” Pierce said. “And on the third day I was the low round for the team, which was the first time for me.” Pierce attributes her success over the two-day tournament to her newfound confidence. After working with Mailloux

on producing more positive self-talk during game play, she has found that she feels more comfortable with her swing. She also found an element of motivation in competing against fellow teammates. “There’s a lot of team competition, so we help motivate each other to play our best,” Pierce said. “It also helps knowing that we’re going up against last year’s national champions, so it makes you want to fight a lot harder for it.” Mailloux and the coaching staff have been focusing on implementing a philosophy among the team this year: playing more league tournaments. In doing so, the team is exposed to tougher competition. Mailloux said that a lot of the girls are used to seeing tournament losses as disappointments rather than learning experiences. “We are going to be playing tougher tournaments, and they’ve just got to try their best

sler has made on her life, Lierman hopes to one day be a coach herself, specifically for the GVSU club soccer team. An exercise science major, she is looking to go into nursing

the squad, Lierman has accepted her new leadership role with open arms and has used her vigorous energy and outspoken manner to help guide the team. “Typically as the year goes along, you get more experience and I’ve fallen into that role,” Lierman said. “It’s always been something I’ve wanted. Every team I’ve been on, I’ve been a vocal member, so it’s been something I’ve naturally walked into this year.” When asked about this year’s team, Lierman is encouraged at the chemistry and sees the potential for a deep postseason run for this year’s team. “We’ve got a lot of young players, but we had a week before our preseason just to hang out and bond with the team, and that’s helped us on the field,” Lierman said. “We have so much potential, it’s unreal. I’ve never been on a more technically-talented team across the board. We just have to push to that potential, and work at it each and every day.”

Jeff has always pushed me since the day I stepped on campus, he knows how to push me mentally and physically and has pushed me to limits I didn’t think I could reach” TARA LIERMAN Midfielder school post-graduation and clearly has a bright future ahead of her. Now that she is a senior on

FOCUSED: Sophomore Olivia Reed swings back to launch a drive in a match from 2017. Reed and the rest of the women’s golf team will not compete again until Saturday, Sep. 29. GVL | ARCHIVE

every time,” Mailloux said. “It may not be a victory each time, but sometimes a victory might be finishing second or third, or even fourth or fifth.” Another breakout player was junior Morgan Janke-Wolff who played as an individual throughout the tournament. She earned her personal record in the second round, shooting a 71, the lowest of her collegiate career. Janke-Wolff said that she doesn’t start out with high expectations, especially at the beginning of the season. “The first tournament is not to have those really high expectations, but just to go out there and play golf,” Janke-Wolff said. “That’s how we build our foundation for the rest of the season. Learning what we can work on, or what we can feed off of.” With 36 holes the first day - an unusual amount for tournament play - the girls had to keep their focus for roughly 10 hours on Monday. Janke-Wolff

said that in order to combat the long day, she kept calm and went with the flow of play. “I was pretty confident and positive knowing that I had two rounds to play,” Janke-Wolff said. “I was playing well the first round but my driver wasn’t really clicking with me, and it got me in trouble a few times. But knowing I had another 18 holes to play gave me a second chance to correct what was going on in the first round.” Pierce said that the team had conditioned the previous week in order to prepare for the 36 holes. She also said getting in the right mindset a few days before play is crucial to performing well. “Preparing mentally and having patience is really important,” Pierce said. “The better you’re playing the quicker the day goes by, and your adrenaline is pumping. But your feet are definitely sore.” Overall, an area of improvement Mailloux looks to work

on is wedge play and continuing the positive energy. Mailloux uses a mental training company called Vision 54 that focuses on staying neutral or positive after every shot. “It doesn’t mean that you have to be happy about a really bad golf shot, you just can’t react negatively,” Mailloux said. “And I always try and give them some sort of mental cue for the day, called playing focuses. What’s going to keep you on point and keep you in touch with your emotions.” GVSU will see UIndy again in their home opener in a few weeks. Pierce is looking forward to the match-up. “I’m excited to play UIndy again,” Pierce said. “I think we have a fair chance at beating them. Plus, we’ll have a little bit of an advantage playing on our home course.” The Lakers will play in their second tournament of the season at Meadows beginning Friday, Sept. 28.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

SPORTS | A9

FOOTBALL

Walled off BY ELI ONG SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Linemen are the toughest competitors in football, and Grand Valley State’s Ben Walling is no exception. Standing at six-feetfive-inches tall and weighing 295 pounds, he has become acclimated to walling off the competition for more than three years now at GVSU. Walling has established himself as one of the GLIAC’s best offensive tackles. With 37 consecutive starts including playoff games under his belt, the 2017 first team all-GLIAC right tackle has consistently anchored the right side of an offensive line that has had little trouble imposing its will since Walling arrived on campus in 2014. In those 37 starts since Walling took over at right tackle, he has helped the Lakers to a 31-6 record. Thanks in part to his blocking, the offense has averaged 38.1 points per game with 262.4 yards per game through the air and 193 yards per game rushing over the same period of time. When asked what has allowed him and his offensive line to be so successful, he attributes their success to GVSU offensive line coach Tim Morrison. “I’ve been really fortunate with Coach Morrison,” Walling said. “He’s taught me a lot about big picture offense and not just my specific position.” Along with the help from Morrison, Walling also attributes his success to his ability to think on his feet and be one of the smartest

SEE ANSWERS | A10

players on the field. “I feel my football I.Q. is pretty high,” Walling said. “On the offensive side of the ball, the only thing I don’t know is route combinations for the wide receivers,” On top of his continued improvement, Walling has also noticed an improvement in the team’s chemistry. “I think we’re playing more together this year,” Walling said. “Last year it felt like there were a lot of independent operators. I feel like there were a lot of guys saying ‘where’s mine?’, and we’re worrying more about the individual.” According to Walling, what contributes to this thought process has been two things: recent transfers and the defense’s selfless nature. “Our transfers are probably the best group of transfers we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Walling said. Starting right guard David Dawson, a senior transfer from the University of Michigan, defensive lineman Kurrell Vaughn, a junior transfer from Southeastern Louisiana University and starting running back Chawntez Moss, a junior transfer from the University of Pittsburgh are among those who stand out according to Walling. “Dave Dawson completely embodied the Grand Valley way when he got here,” said Walling, “Kurrell Vaughn, a dlineman, he’s doing very well and not worried about getting his. He’s kind of like Dave where they’re both premier players that came to DII and completely bought in. Chawntez [Moss] is one of those too.” Their selfless nature has

helped keep the team together and focused on the goal of winning as opposed to just individual statistics according to Walling. “We’ve been getting off to some slow starts offensively,” Walling said. “But the defense doesn’t have a problem going out there and keep getting stops and cheering us on from the sideline.” Stops are exactly what the defense has provided. GVSU has given up only 31 points through three games in 2018 against Indianapolis, Delta State and Northern Michigan, two of which made the NCAA playoffs last year. In terms of his football career, Walling has not allowed the sustained success he has had at GVSU influ-

Senior tackle Ben Walling looks to push Laker offense to elite level

ence his thought process. “There may be a future in football, but as of sitting here right now, I’m not really worrying about it,” Walling said. “I’m worried about the 2018 season, going 1-0 each week and continue on through with that hopefully through December.” NFL scouts have shown interest, and Walling admits the idea of playing in the NFL has crossed his mind, but he is not letting it distract him from his current goals. “We’ve had some scouts come in and where I’m at with it is if there’s a legitimate shot, I’m going to go for it and maybe make something out of nothing but I’ll just see what the scouts see and go from there.” Once Walling’s football career comes to a close, he

said he is not sure where his next move will be. He has opportunities in his major - occupational safety - with Steelcase, a Grand Rapidsbased furniture company, or his family’s residential construction company back home in Kentucky.

“I interned at Steelcase for two years and they said they’d like to keep me for as long as they can,” Walling said. “So whether it’s within my degree in safety or the business back home, those are kind of the two paths I have laid out for myself.”

“There may be a future in football, but as of sitting here right now I’m not really worrying about it. I’m worried about the 2018 season, going 1-0 each week and continue on through with that hopefully through December. BEN WALLING Starting Right Tackle

ENERGETIC: Grand Valley State offensive linemen Ben Walling celebrates a touchdown in a game last season against Michigan Tech on Sept. 16, 2017. GVSU won the game 42-7. Walling, now a senior, has celebrated after many GVSU touchdowns. COURTESY | GVSU FOOTBALL

SEE ANSWERS | A10

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A10 | SPORTS VOLLEYBALL

GVSU volleyball picks up wins against Purdue-Northwest and Wisconsin-Parkside BY D’ANGELO STARKS DSTARKS@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State University volleyball team had a busy week playing in three GLIAC matches, two of which were at home. The first match-up saw the Lakers take on Davenport University, losing 3-1, though was closer than the final tally would imply. GVSU lost the first set 17-25. DU finished with significant advantages in hitting percentage and errors, hitting .250 with only three errors to GVSU’s .093 and nine errors. The Lakers would bounce back in the second set and win 25-21, finishing with an impressive .516 hitting percentage and only two errors, while DU finished at .394 and 4 errors. The last two sets would go similarly to the first for the Lakers. They dropped the last two with scores of 25-19 and 2521. GVSU posted low hitting percentages of .159 and .145, respectively with three and seven errors. DU had percentages of .220 and .292 with only six combined errors in the sets. Hannah Murdock led the Lakers in kills with 13, Staci Brower had 12 blocks, two aces and four blocks, and Alexandra Thompson finished the match with 12 kills, three aces and one block. Ashlyn Kartes led the team in assists with 35, Frankie Cavalarro had 10 assists and Kendall Yerkes had two. The next match was against Purdue-Northwest, faring much better for GVSU sweeping the match 3-0, winning the

sets 25-8, 26-24 and 25-16. The Lakers dominated the match statistically, finishing the first set with a hitting percentage of .444 while Purdue-Northwest finished with a -.125. GVSU had 15 kills and three errors, while Purdue Northwest had two kills and five errors. The Lakers had a .406 hitting percentage with 17 kills and four errors compared to Purdue-Northwest’s .135 hitting percentage with 12 kills and seven errors in the second set. The third set saw the Lakers finish at .355 with 14 kills and three errors. The Pride had a .095 hitting percentage, 10 kills and seven errors. Brower led GVSU with 12 kills and one block, Murdock had 10 kills and Abby Graham had 9 kills and two aces. Ashlyn Kartes had 36 assists and Alexandra Thompson and Graham had two assists a piece. The third and final game of GVSU’s week was against Wisconsin-Parkside University. In the first set, GVSU won 25-17. The Lakers tallied a .111 hitting percentage to go along with 10 kills and six errors, while WPU finished the set with a -.083 hitting percentage with seven kills and 10 errors. The second set was much closer in score and saw the Lakers pull out a 25-23 win. The Lakers hit more efficiently in this, set posting a .222 hitting percentage and having 13 kills with five errors. WPU had a .089 hitting percentage to go along with 15 kills and 11 errors. Set three saw the Lakers

barely lose 25-23. The Lakers hit .167 with 14 kills and seven errors. WPU hit .167 also but had 15 kills and eight errors. GVSU sealed the match victory in the fourth set winning by a score of 25-10. GVSU hit .348 and had 11 kills with three errors while WPU hit -.062 with seven kills and nine errors. Coach Deanne Scanlon was impressed with how the team played over the week. “I think we’ve served and passed well all year long. That helps set the tone when you serve really tough and get the other team a little shaken in their serve receive, that puts you in a good position to defend.” Scanlon said. Brower again led the team with 12 kills and eight blocks. Murdock had eight kills and two blocks and Kartes had five blocks and 38 assists. “We saw that their outsides were the main people that were typically getting set, so I didn’t have to worry about the middle as much,” Brower said. “Not having to worry about the middle on the other side helps make decisions, to be able to close blocks either directions and making sure we saw where their defense was so I knew what shots were open for kills.” GVSU hopes to improve upon their 9-4 overall record this weekend, as they travel to Marquette, MI, on Friday, Sept. 21 to play Northern Michigan (10-3, 2-3 GLIAC) before traveling to Houghton, Mich, to take on Michigan Tech (10-3, 4-1 GLIAC). Friday’s game is set to begin at 7 p.m. and Saturday’s game starts at 2 p.m.

TEAMWORK: Grand Valley State sophomore Ashlyn Kartes sets up her teammate, freshmen Ali Thompson, to spike the ball in a home game against Parkside at GVSU Fieldhouse Arena. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

TOGETHERNESS: All the Lakers on the floor gather together after a point to talk strategy. The team has looked good on the year, with a 9-4 record and a current two game win streak GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

ACE IN THE HOLE: Grand Valley State junior Sydney Benchley lifts off the floor and cocks back, ready for a powerful serve. Benchley made the GLIAC All-Academic team last year. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

THE GREAT WALL OF ALLENDALE: Senior Jilian Butsavich and freshman Abby Graham extend their arms, trying to protect their court and block a Parkside offensive attack GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

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